Building structure



July 19, 1938.

E. H. PIERSEN ET AL BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 6, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTORS EDWIN H. PIER$EN & JOHN C. ANDERSON.

A TORNEY. I

y 1938. E. H. PIERSEN ET AL 2,124,519 1 BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 6,1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS EDWIN H. PIERSEN 5 JOHN c. ANDERSON.

A TTORNE Y.

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5 MN wH mm ,L 3 W 5 mww M, Em ss RG mm L M E July 19, 1938.

July 19, 1938. E. H. PIERSEN ET'AL BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed D sc. 6.1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 V INVENTORS v EDWIN H. PIERSEN 5! JOHN C-ANDERSON.

A TTORNEY July 19, 1938. E. H. PIERSEN ET AL 2,124,519

BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 6, 1933 5 SheetE-Sheet 5 kf M/i y kINVENTORS EDWIN H. PIERSEN 5 y JOHN C. ANDERSON.

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES BUILDING STRUCTURE Edwin H. Piersenand John C. Anderson, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to UnitypeEngineering Company, Reno, Nev.,

a corporation of Nevada Application December 6, 1933, Serial No. 701,187

22 Claims.

This invention relates to the structure of buildings generally but moreparticularly to those of one, two or three stories in height, having asolely metallic skeleton structure and intended for residentialpurposes, schools, clubs, etc.

Heretofore, opportunities for architectural diversification in buildingsof this general class have been very limited; the structures did nothave sufiicient stability to withstand cyclone'and earthquake withoutdamage; and the design thereof did not insure accuracy in fabricationnor provide expedient means for accomplishing a thickness of wallsuitable to the varying requirements of usage and climate. Furthermore,the high cost of such structures has barred extensive use thereof.Therefore, one object of this invention is to provide a Wall frame whichcomprises a plurality of metallic structural units each havingvertically, horizontally and/or diagonally disposed members of standardstructural'shapes rigidly assembled in various combinations.

Another object is to provide a metallic structural wall unit having aminimum of weight and a maximum of strength.

Another object is to provide expedient and economical means foreifecting a rigid bond between such a structural wall unit and anadjacent unit of like form.

Another object is to provide a metallic structural wall unit whichcomprises vertically disposed side members of such form and arrangementthat when two of such units are rigidly joined edge to edge, the sidemember of one unit cooperates with the adjacent side member of the otherunit to form a structurally eflicient column which will adequatelysupport superimposed loads.

Another object is to provide means for anchoring such units to acementitious or other foundation either directly or through the mediumof joists mounted thereon.

Another object is to provide a metallic structural wall unit whichcomprises a horizontally disposed member arranged as an integral part ofthe unit structure and located at or near the top thereof to serve as aunit spandrel beam extending from one of the formed columns to another,thereby providing an element integral with the unit structure on whichfloor joists and/or roof trusses may be supported and by which the loadsthereof may be transmitted to said formed columns, thus obviating anyrequirement for uniformity in spacing of the said columns andconsequently enable spacing of floor joists and roof trusses in the mosteconomical manner regardless of the spacing of said columns.

Another object is to secure greater accuracy and uniformity in themeasurements of such units and assure permanence in alignment of thecomponent parts thereof. 7

Another object is to provide a metallic structural unit comprisingfurring means adapted to accomplish any predetermined desired thicknessof wall.

Another object is to provide a metallic structural wall unit of thischaracter which can be fabricated with utmost dispatch and at low costin a factory equipped with modern production facilities.

Another object is to provide such a metallic structural wall unit whichwill enable a wide range of diversification in architectural design.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following descriptionand accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a general perspective View of a house structure embodying theprimary elements of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of a first-story structural wall unitsuitable for a location in which a window is desired.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a first-story structural wall unitsuitable for a location in which a door is desired.

Fig. 4 is an isometric View of a first-storystructural wall unitsuitable for a location where an opening isnot required.

Fig. 5 is an isometric View of an upper story structural wall unit.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of an assembly of wall units with floor androof supporting joists or trusses.

Fig. '7 is an isometric view of a structural wall unit showing one formof furring means.

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of a structural wall unit showing anotherform of furring means.

Fig. 91s a side elevation of a bonding device between the vertical sidemembers of two "adjacent structural wall units joined in the same plane.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view, taken on a line ll lof Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an isometric View showing portions of structural wall unitsunited by different forms of devices such as a combined bonding andsplicing device and a combined bonding and anchoringdevice, said devicesbeing primarily applicable to upper story units.

Fig. 13 is an elevation of a bonding device between the vertical sidemembers of --tW0 adjacent structural Wall units joined at right angles.

Fig. 14 is another elevation of the same.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken on a line [5-45 of Fig. 13. a

Fig. 16 is an elevationshowing the means for anchoring the structuralwall units directly to a cementitiousfoundation. I r

Fig. 1''! is a plan view of the same. Fig. 18 is a sectional view, takenon a line I8:l8 of Fig. 1'7. Fig. '19 is a sectional View, takenonaline' l9l9 of Fig. 17. V

Fig. 20 is an elevation showing. the means for anchoring the structuralwall u'nits to floor joists restingon a foundation. I a I Fig. 21 is aplan view ofthe same.

-Fig. 22 is a sectional viewftaken' on a line 22-'22 of Fig. 21. r

In the drawings, the metallic'structural wall unit ofthis'invention'is'sffo'wn as c'omprising primarily Vertically disposedside members'-3'0, a horizontally disposed member" 3|; a-"ho'rizontallydisposed outside tie member 32 and inside tie member 33 secondarily,the-said unit mayalso comprise one or more horizontally disposed members 34, one or more vertically" disposed mem bers 35 and a plurality ofdiagonally disposed members 36, the size and arrangement thereofdepending upon the requirement'for doors and windows'or other openingsin the wall structure portion 300. andflange portions 301;, the saidmember being positioned so that the webportion extends preferably atright angles to the plane'of the unit with the flange portions extendingoutwardly and parallel to the plane of the unit, thus constituting ineffect a half column alt each. side of the'unit'. Member 31' ispreferably made of an I section "comprising a web portion 3la and"flange portions 31b or, if desired; it may be made of a T' secti'on,' achan: nel section or it may bea truss. may be merely a flat bar as shownand members 33, 34, 35 and 36 may be of angle section or otherwise inaccordance with whatever shape would be most suitable in each instance.

In building a wall frame structure comprising such 'units," a pluralitythereof; of suitable size and variety in: design; are set up andassembled edge to ed'ga'that is, 'with the member 30 of one unit in"juxtaposition to the corresponding member of the adjacenti unit and thesaid members are rigidly secured together by means of bonding devices"hereinafter described. 5 i j H When two offthe said units arethusassemb'led in-a common plane, theside members 3O thereof are joinedtogether in any suitable manner that will lacc omplish'a rigidbondfasby-means 6f tie Member 32 i If desired, tie bolt 33 may thereafter beremoved for similar utility elsewhere. Thus the two members 30 arecombined to form a structurally eflicient load-supporting column ofsquare or boxlike section which is thus built into the wall 7 structurethereby becoming an integral part thereof.

When two of the said units are assembled in relatively angular planes, aslightly different type of bonding device is required and this maypreferably comprise tie members 39 and Ml and tie bolt ll-shown in Figs.13, 14 and 15th-e said members being permanently secured to both of themembers 30 by welding'or otherwise and the tie bolt 4| being thereafterwithdrawn if desired; Here alsoa structurally efiicient column effect isobtained and this is particularly so if' the tie member 39 be made toextend substantially throughout the full height of members 30".

A wall structure comprising units of this character may be erected'directly upon acementitious or other similar foundationras shown inFigs.- 16,

17, 18 and 19--by provision 'of suitable means for anchor bolts and heldsecurely upon the founda tion' 41 by the said nuts, all of the plates 44being established at a uniform level by means of mortar or otherwise. 7The wall structure rests directly upon the plates 44 with the columnspositioned in line with the anchor bolts 42, thus the studs 45 arepositioned between tie members 32 and 33, one

7 on each side of each of said columns. "Binding plates 48,-fittingfreely over studs as and under nuts 46] serve to clamp the said tiemembers securely down 'upon plate 44 when the said nuts are drawn tightand thus'the wall structure as a whole is securely anchored to thefoundation. When it is desired to have the'wall structure supportedthrough the medium of joists resting upon' the foundation,as shown inFigs. 20, 21 and 22it is preferable to provide a sill member 49extending in the plane of the wall and secured to the joists 50 in anysuitable manner, preferably by welding. The sill member 39 may be of anysuitable shape but an angle section as shown is usually mostadvantageous. The wall structure is then erected upon said sill memberand secured thereto in any suitable manner such as bolts 5| extendingupwardly through the horizontal web of the sill member, between tiemembers 32 and 33, and equipped with nuts 52. Binding plates'53, fittingfreely on bolts 5.! and under nuts 52, serve to clamp the said tiemembers securely down upon the sill member 49 when the said nuts aredrawn tight and thus the wall structure as a whole is securely anchoredto the joists150.

As clearly shown in Fig. 6, the horizontally disposed member 3l servesas a unit spandrel beam to support floor joists 5 5 or roof trusses 55which rest thereupon and are permanently and rigidly secured thereto inany suitable manner such as by means of rivets or-bolts but preferablybywelding. Thus the load of upper floors and roofs V istransmitted to thecolumns formed by'the side members 30. Many advantages result from thisfeature of the structural wall unit. For example: (a) --The requirementfor uniform spacing ofthe column is obviated thus permitting ofrelatively wide variation in the widths of Wall units and therebysatisfying any reasonable architectural desire.

(b) -F1oor joists and roof trusses do not have to be uniformly ormethodically spaced but they may be arranged in the most economicalmanner without regard to the location of doors or windows or otheropenings in the wall which affect the spacing of the columns. 7

It will be understood that the structural wall unit of this inventionextends substantially one story in height and when a structure of morethan one story is erected, a series of units, similar in general form,are used for each storythe units of the second story being superimposedupon those of the first story and units of the third story superimposedupon those of the second, thus constituting tiers of assembled units. U

Anchoring the units of one story to the'units of the story'above and/orbelow it, if any, may be accomplished in various ways. As shown in Fig.6, the members 30 of the superimposed unit may be spliced to thecorresponding members of the unit below by means of a bar 56 which ispreferably positioned within the recess of the columns formed by themembers 39 of adjacent units, as previously described, the said barextending for a substantial distance above and below the juncture of thesaid members, and the splice'may be made effective by means of bolts 51passing through the adjacent side members 30 and bar 56, or otherwise ifdesired. However a preferred form of splicing der vice is shown in Fig.12. This form not only provides for splicing the superimposed unit tothe unit below but it also serves as a bonding device by means of whichsidewise adjacent units are joined together. As here shown, thiscombined splicing and bonding device is very similar in character to thebonding device shown in Figs. 9, l0 and 11 and comprises tie-and-splicemembers 58 and tie bolts 59, each of said tie members partiallyshrouding the two half columns of the upper and lower units andextending for a substantial distance above and below the juncturethereof, and the tie bolts being spaced on each side of said juncture.Furthermore, when an upper-story column is not positioned directly overthe column in the next lower story but rests on the beam member 3|, acombined bonding and anchoring device may be employed. A preferred formof such device is also shown in Fig. 12 and comprises tie-and-anchormembers 60 and tie bolt 6!, said members partially shrouding the twohalf columns of the upper-story units and being provided with portions60a which underlie the flange portion 38b of member 3| and effectcontact with the underside of said flange portion thus serving to anchorthe upper-story unit to the beam member of the lower unit. As in thecase of the bonding device shown-in Figs. 9, l0 and 11, the members 58and 39 are permanently secured to the half columns and to the beammember 3! by welding or otherwise and the tie bolts 59 and 6! maythereafter be removed if desired.

In order to provide vertical clearance between member 3| and members 32and 33 for the floor beams of. upper stories, the side members 30 of theupper-story units have a portion 300 which extends below members 32 and33, as shown in detail in Fig. 5. With this exception, upperstory unitsmay be substantially the same in all general respects as those of thefirst story.

For example 2- In conjunction with a wall frame comprising metallicstructural units, as herein described, the invention comprises furringmeans for accomplishing any desired thickness of wall. Such means maytake various forms, but, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, it embodiesprimarily vertically disposed metallic members 62 or 63 which may be ofany suitable light-weight structural form but preferably of channelsection, as shown.

Under certain conditions, wherein. it is desired to have a thickness ofwall not greatly in excess of that of the wall unit structure, thefurring members, such as 62, may be attached directly to the members ofthe said structure (as shown in Fig. '7) and secured thereto inany'suitable manner but preferably by welding and, in such instances,the breadth of the channel section determines or controls primarily'thethickness of the finished wall.

However, when it is desired to have a much greater thickness of wallthan that of the wall unit structure, the furring members, such as 63,may be spaced from the said unit structure (as shown in Fig. 8)preferably by means of lateral horizontal members 64, attached to someof the members comprising the said unit structure, and longitudinalhorizontal members 65 attached to the members 64, bothof which may be ofany suitable lightweight structural form but preferably of channelsection as shown. Members 63, 64 and 65 may be rigidly secured one tothe other and member 34 securely anchored to the unit structure by meansof clips, wires or other suitable means but preferably by welding eachjuncture in the assemblage so as to obtain rigidity and strength in thewhole framework. It will be apparent that the length of members 64 isthe major factor in controlling the thickness of the finished wall.

With either of these furring arrangements, the members 62 or 63 serve asthe structural mounting for metallic lath, wire mesh or other plasterbase which may be attached thereto by any suitable means, and upon thisbase the exterior stucco or veneer and the interior plaster may beapplied thus making a completed wall having the desired thickness. Or,if desired, plasterboard, or other insulating material may be attacheddirectly to the structure of the wall units in lieu of the furring andmetal lath as a base for the plaster finish, or .such materials may beleft in their natural state and suitably decorated.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that we have thus provided a wallstructure for buildings which accomplishes the objectives herein setforth and described, and it willbe understood that the details ofdesignand construction disclosed are to be considered as merely illustrativeof the invention and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is: l

1. A I wall frame comprising a plurality of metallic structural units,each of said units having vertically disposed side members, ahorizontally disposed top member extending from one of said side membersto the other, rigidly secured thereto and adapted to serve as a supportfor floors and roofs, transmitting the loads thereof to said sidemembers, and two horizontally disposed bottom members spaced apart andextend- 2.'A wall: frame comprising a plurality of metallic structuralunits arranged relatively edgewise horizontally and in tiers, each ofsaid units having Vertically, disposed side members of channel sectionarranged with the side walls of said channel extending parallel to theplane of said unit and projecting outwardly so as to establish a hollowcolumn as an integral element of said wall frame atreach juncture of twounits when the same are arranged adjacent edgewise and the respectivelyadjacent side members thereof are rigidly joined one to'the other, and asplice member positioned within the hollow of said column and extendingabove and below the juncture of said tiers, said splice member beingrigidly secured to the adjacent side members of the units in' one tierand the corresponding side members of the units in the adjacent tier.

3. A wall frame comprising a plurality of metallic structural units,each of said units having vertically disposed sideflmembers'of such formand so positioned therein as to effect a hollowcolumn structure when twoof said units are arranged adjacent and secured sidewise, one to theother, a,horizontally disposed top member extending from one of saidside members to the other, rigidly secured thereto and adapted to serveas a support for floors and roofs, transmitting the loads thereof tosaid hollow-column structure, and two horizontally disposed bottommembers. spaced apart and extending from one of said side members to theother, rigidly secured thereto and spaced from the lower end thereofwhen said unit is applied to an upper story of a building. I

4. In a Wall framecomprising a'plurality of metallic structural unitsarranged relatively edgewise horizontally andeach having verticallydisposed side members of channel section ar ranged with the channelfacing outwardly, a de- .vice adapted to engage'the respectivelyadjacent side members of adjacent units on opposite sides 7 of saidchannel and rigidly unite one unit to the other, 'said devicecomprising, 'in combination,

-' two duplicate elements having the form of a channel and disposed soas to embrace said respectively adjacent side members and hold the samein fixed relation one to the other and a third elementadapted to bindsaid other elements into engagement with said side members, thuscreating a hollow column which becomes an integral ele'-' ment of thewall frame at each juncture'of two units.

5. In a'wall frame comprising a plurality of metallic structural unitsarranged edge to edge horizontally and spaced slightly apart, said unitshaving vertically disposed side members of'channel section arranged withthe channel facing outwardly, a device adapted to engage therespectively adjacent side members of adjacent units on opposite sidesof said channel and rigidly unite one unit to the other, said devicecomprising, in combination, two, duplicate elements having the form of achannel and disposed so as to embrace said respectively adjacent sidemembers of adjacent units and hold the same spaced apart and in fixedrelation one to the other, said elements 1 having an aperture coincidingwith the space between said units, and a tension member extendingthrough said apertures and between said units and adapted to bind saidelements into engagement with said side members, thus creating a hollowcolumn which becomes an integral element of the wall frame at eachjuncture of two units. 7 7

'6. In. conjunction with a wall frame comprising. a plurality ofmetallic structural units having vertically disposed side members ofchannel section arranged with the channels facing out- Wardly so as toconstitute a hollow column structure when two'units-are united edge toedge, said units also having two horizontally disposed bottom membersspaced apart and extending from one ofsaid side members to the other andrigidly secured thereto, means for anchoring said wall frame directly toa cementitious foundation, said means comprising in combination, a baseplate, means to secure said plate to said foundation, said plate havingtwo upwardly extending projections formed integral therewith and spacedapart a distance greater than the width of said column, and bindingmeans associated with each of said projections whereby the wall framemay be imposed upon said base plate with said projections disposedbetween said bottom members, one on each side of said column, and saidbinding means appliedto secure-said bottom members to said plate andtherethrough secure the wall frame structure to said foundation. r v

7. In conjunction with awall frame comprising a, plurality of metallicstructural units having vertically disposed side members of channelsection arranged with the channels facing outwardly so as to constitutea hollow column structure when two units are united edge to edge, saidunits also having two horizontally disposed bottom members spaced apartand extending from one of said side members to the other and rigidlysecuredv thereto, means for anchoring said wall frame to a foundationstructure comprising a plurality of joists and a sill member imposedthereon and rigidly secured thereto, said means comprising, incombination, a plate member, and binding means associated with saidplate member and said still member and disposed between said bottommembers, whereby the wall frame may be imposed upon said sill member andsaid plate member imposed upon said bottom members, one on each side ofsaid column, and said binding means applied to secure said bottommembers to said sill member thereby anchoring the wall frame to saidfoundation structure.

8. In'conjunction with a wall frame comprising a plurality of metallicstructural units rigidly united edgewise, means for anchoring saidstructural units, directly to a ceme'ntitious foundation, which consistsin the provision of a base 'plate having a plurality of projectionsformed integral therewith, means to secure said plate to a thefoundation, and binding means associated with said projections spacedfromsaid plate and adapted to engage the structure of the wall frame.units whereby the said frame may be securely attached to said plate.

9. In conjunction with a wall frame comprising a iplurality of metallicstructural units rigidly united edgewise, means for anchoring saidstructural units to a foundation structure comprising'a plurality ofjoists and a sill member imposed thereon and rigidly secured thereto,which consists in the provision of'a plate member adapted to engage thestructure of thewall frame units at a point spaced above saidsill"member, and binding means associated with 'said plate member and thesill member whereby the wall frame may besecurely attached to the sillmember. 7 I 7 10. In conjunction with, a wall frame consisting of aplurality of metallic structural units, furring means comprising anassemblage of metallic members rigidly secured one to the other, theinner members of said assemblage being horizontally disposed at rightangles to the plane of said units and securely attached to the metallicstructure thereof, and the outermost members of said assemblage beingvertically disposed and adapted to support a plaster base in a planespaced from the plane of said units but parallel therewith, the lengthof said inner member being the major factor in establishing the extentof the space between said planes and thereby a predetermined thicknessof the finished wall may be predicated primarily upon the length of saidinner members.

11. A wall unit comprising a plurality of metallic members arranged in acommon plane and rigidly assembled to form a unitary structure, two ofsaid members having a rib-like form and being disposed vertically, oneat each side of said structure, with the plane of ribbed portionsthereof extending parallel to the plane of the unit, the other membersof said unit being variously disposed, some horizontally and othersdiagonally, between said vertical members and arranged relative theretoso as to reinforce the same and thereby assure rigidity and permanencyin alignment of said structure as a whole.

12. A wall frame comprising a plurality of metallic structural unitsarranged relatively edgewise horizontally and in tiers, each of saidunits having vertically ribbed side members adapted to cooperate withthe respective side members of edgewise adjacent units to form a ribbedcolumn as an integral element of the wall frame at each juncture of twounits, and a device arranged to extend above and below the juncture ofsaid tiers and adapted to engage the cooperating side members of theunits in one tier and the corresponding side members of the units in theadjacent tier whereby said column is made continuous throughout theseveral tiers.

13. A wall frame comprising a plurality of metallic structural unitsarranged relatively edgewise horizontally and in tiers, each of saidunits having vertically ribbed side members adapted bound together andsaid tiers are spliced one to' the other whereby said column ismadecontinuous throughout the several tiers.

14. A wall frame comprising a plurality of metallic structuralunitsarranged relatively edgewise horizontally and in tiers, each ofsaid units having vertically ribbed side members adapted to cooperatewith the respective side members of edgewise adjacent units to form aribbed column, as an integral element of the wall frame at each junctureof two units, each of said units also having a horizontally disposedmember extending from one side member to the other at the top thereof,said member being formed and arranged so as to constitute a spandrelbeam, integral with the unit structure,'for transmitting loads imposedthereupon to the respective side members, and a combined bonding andanchoring device associated with the cooperating side members and thespandrel beam member therebelow whereby, when said side members aresuperimposed upon said beam member, said side upon each unitintermediate the side members will be transmitted to the respective sidemembers, each of said units also having two horizontally disposed bottommembers extending from one of said side members to the other, rigidlysecured thereto, and arranged with their lower faces flush with thelower ends of said side members, said bottom members being spaced apartthus providing for the application of a binding device extendingtherebetween and bearing against the upper face of each of said bottommembers whereby each unit may be securely anchored to a foundation orsillstructure when said unit is applied to the first story of abuilding.

16. A wall frame comprising a plurality of metallic structural unitsarranged relatively edgewise, each of said units having verticallydisposed side members formed and arranged so as to accomplish per se astructurally efiicient load-supporting column of box-like section as aconstituent element of said wall frame at each juncture of two unitswhen the same are arranged adjacent edgewise and the respectivelyadjacent side members thereof are rigidly joined one to the other, eachof said units also having a top, member extending from one of said sidemembers to the other and rigidly secured thereto, thus becoming anintegral part of said unit, said top member having a crosssectional formanalogous to a standard struc tural' girder suitable for' service as aspandrel beam whereby the loads of floors and roofs imposed upon eachunit intermediate the side members will betransmitted to the respectivecolumns,

' each of said units also having two horizontally disposed bottommembers extending from one of said side members to the other, rigidlysecured thereto and arranged with their lower faces flush with the lowerends of said side members, said bottom members beingspaced apart thusproviding for the application of a binding device extending therebetweenand bearing against the upper face of each of said bottom memberswhereby each unitmay be securely anchored to a foundation or sillstructure when said unit is applied to the first story of a building,and metallic means to rigidly unite said respectively adjacent sidemembers.

1'7. In conjunction with a wall frame consisting of a plurality ofmetallic structural units, furring means comprising a plurality ofelongated members disposed in a vertical plane lying parallel with theplane of said wall frame but spaced therefrom, and spacing meanscomprising a plurality of elongated members secured to said units andextending longitudinally at right angles to the plane thereof wherebythe length of said last mentioned members constitutes the major factorin the thickness of the finished wall.

18. A structural unit comprising a rigid assemblage of elongatedmetallic members arranged so as to constitute a frame suitable forload-bearing service when united edgewise with similar units in theformation of a wall, two of said members constituting the vertical 7side members 'of said frame and being formed so as to provide 'columnarelements within the-unitstructure for su porting loads superimposed"upon said frame, another of said members constitutingthe top member ofsaid frame and being formed so' as to provide a spandrel beam'within theunit structure which will transmit to said columnar elements the loadsimposed upon said unit intermediate said side members, and twoother ofsaid members consti tuting the bottom members of said frame, said bottommembers being relatively spaced horizontally thus providing for theapplication of a binding device extending therebetween and bearingagainst the top face of each of said bottom men bers whereby saidframemay besecured to a supporting structure; 7 I a a a 19. A structuralunit comprising a rigid assem I blage of elongated metallic membersarranged so as to constitute a frame suitable for load-bearing servicewhen united edgewise lwithlsimilar units in the formation of a wall, twoof said members constituting the vertical side members 'of said frameand being fo'rmed so as to provide columnar elements within the unitstructure for supporting loads superimposed upon-said frame, another ofsaid members constituting the top member of said frame and being formed'so as to provide a spandrel beam within the unit structure which willtransmit to said columnar elements the loads imposed upon-said unitintermediate said side within said frame and arranged so as to provide,for' an opening through said wall; j I

'20.".A'. structural unit comprising a rigid assemblage of elongatedmetallic" members arranged'so as to constitute a frame suitable "forload-bearing service when united edgewise with similar units in theformation of 'a wall, two of.

s'aid'members'constituting the vertical 'side members of said frame,each side member being formedas a channel and arranged with the chan- 1nel--s ide :walls extendingv outwardly parallel 'to the-plane of theunit so as to constitute onehalf of a box-like column and thus: provide,columnar elementswithin the unit structure for supporting loadssuperimposedupon said frame, another of said members constituting thetopmember of said frameand'being formed so as to provide a spandrel'beamwithinthe unit structure which will transmit to said'columnarelemeritsthe loads imposed upon said unit intermediate said side members, anotherof said members constituting a'bottom member of said'frame,

others of said members being disposed within 7 said frame and arrangedso as to provide for an opening through said wall, and still others ofsaid members being arranged toextend diagonally from one of said sidemembers to one of said last mentionedmembers so as to reinforce saidside member against horizontal flexure thus obtaining extraordinaryrigidity of said frame and enabling said side member to better supportthe load transmitted thereto by said spandrel beam.

21. In a wall frame comprising a'plurality of metallic structural units,two of said units being arranged adjacent edgewise and disposed inrelatively angular vertical planes, each of said units having verticallydisposed side members of channel section arranged with the channelfacing outwardly, a device adapted to engage the respectively adjacentside members of the said two units and rigidly unite one of the said twounits to the other, said device comprising, incombination; twochannel-embracing elements adapted to embrace said respectively adjacentside members and hold the same in fixed relation one to,

the other, and a third element adapted to bind said other elements intoengagement with said side members, thus creating a structurallyeffiei'ent column :of an approximately angular section which becomes anintegral element of the wall frame at a corner juncture thereof.

22. In a wall frame comprising a plurality of metallic structural units,two of said units being arranged adjacent edgewise but spaced slightlyapart and disposed in relatively angularvertical planes, each of saidunits having vertically disposed side members of channel sectionarranged with the channel facing outwardly, a device adapted to engagethe respectively adjacent side members of the said two units and rigidlyunite one'of said two units to the other, said devicecomprising, incombination, two channel-embracing elements adapted to embrace said re 7spectively adjacent side members and hold the same spacedapart and infixedirelationone to the other,said elements having'an aperture coin- Vaiding with the space between said units, and a tension member extendingthrough said apere,

tures and between said units and "adapted to bind said two elements intoengagement with said side members, thus creating a structurallyefficient column of an approximately, angular sec"- tion which becomesan integral element of the" wall frame :at a'corner juncturethereof.

EDWIN H. iPIERSEN. JOHN-C. ANDERSON.

